Electronic program guides (EPGs) provide consumers with a means of identifying services and events available through a television transport stream. EPGs may be embedded as applications in a DTV (digital television) receiver. These embedded EPGs are commonly tailored to the needs of the receiver manufacturer or, in the case of a cable system, the needs of the cable operator.
An alternative to embedded EPGs is to broadcast or insert a template that configures an EPG within the bandwidth of DTV channels. This strategy permits the broadcaster to tailor the EPG template to their needs, whether that be through branding, emphasizing their own content, or enhancing their revenue stream through advertising or additional data services.
With today's receivers, consumers may explore available programming through an embedded EPG. This embedded EPG rarely emphasizes the branding of one broadcaster over another, preferring to emphasize the manufacturer's branding over that of the current channel's broadcaster. With the broadcast EPG of the future, broadcasters will no longer have to relinquish control of how their branding and programming are delivered to the consumer. In addition, broadcasters will be able to emphasize current programming, what's on next, as well as big ticket events of the future. Additional revenue opportunities will be available to broadcasters using broadcast EPGs through the use of user-interactive links such as advertising, links to additional content, impulse purchase items, etc. Additionally, DTV receivers of the future will be able to download and execute applications delivered through the DTV transport stream.
What is needed is a system, method and software for providing additional electronic program guide information. The system should provide a customizable electronic program guide template capable of being inserted into a television transport stream. The electronic program guide template should be further enabled to call and execute applications, as well as provide an interface with which the user can interact.